SHARE IT

Elegant looped necklace with briolettes

Simply woven X components complemented by O-shaped loops make for an elegant necklace. Perfect for a night out or with jeans!

Download & Print this PDF

DESIGNER'S TIP: In the black-and-red jewelry, I used Swarovski crystals in jet and Siam. In the how-to photos, I used peridot, purple haze, and Cyclamen opal crystals.

SUPPLIES

Necklace 18 1⁄2 in. (47 cm)

Sterling silver wire, round, dead soft
- 9 in. (22.9 cm) 20-gauge (0.8 mm)
- 21 in. (53.3 cm) 26-gauge (0.4 mm)
Sterling silver jump rings
- 33 20-gauge (0.8 mm), 4.5 mm inner diameter (ID)
- 4 18-gauge (1.0 mm), 4.0 mm ID
14 in. (35.6 cm) sterling silver chain, 4 mm links
1 11 mm crystal pendant
8 9 mm small crystal briolette pendants
6 7 mm crystal briolettes
Sterling silver toggle clasp
Wirework Toolbox
Large Wrap-and-Tap pliers with 1/2-in. (13 mm) diameter jaw
Ring clamp

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut a 1 1⁄2-in. (38 mm) piece of 20-gauge wire. Using the 1⁄2-in. (13 mm) diameter jaw of large Wrap-and-Tap pliers, bend half of the wire into a curve. Leave the other half of the wire straight. Make six curved wires.

2. Using roundnose pliers, make a loop on both ends of each curved wire. The loops should be turned in toward the curve of each wire.

3. Place each curved wire on a bench block, and use a chasing hammer to harden and flatten the wires.

4. Position two curved wires next to one another with the loops facing outward, and leave about 1 mm between them. Place the two loops of the curved sections into the ring clamp so that the straight sections are parallel and even, and the start of the curve on both wires is visible. Secure the wedge in the ring clamp.

5. Cut a 7-in. (17.8 cm) piece of 26-gauge wire. Holding a 1-in. (25.5 mm) tail in your nondominant hand, position the wire on top of one of the curved wires. Make three wraps around this curved wire with the tail. Slide the wraps close to the clamp.

6. Bring the 26-gauge wire down between the curved wires, and make two wraps around the other curved wire.

7. Bring the 26-gauge wire up between the curved wires, and make two more wraps around the first curved wire.

8. Work as in step 6 until there are five sets of wraps on each curved wire. Make a third wrap around the curved wire you end on, and pull the wire tight using chainnose pliers. Insert the tip of your cutters between the two curved wires, and trim the excess wire from both ends.

9. Remove the component from the clamp. Repeat steps 5–7 to make a total of three wrapped components.

10. Open a 4 mm jump ring. Attach the top loops of two wrapped components, and close the jump ring. Repeat to attach the third component.

11. Cut two 7-in. (17.8 cm) pieces of chain. Open one of the remaining top loops, attach a chain, and close the loop. Repeat with the remaining top loop. Use 4 mm jump rings to attach half of a toggle clasp to each end of the chain.

12. Open a 4.5 mm jump ring, and attach it to a bottom loop of a wrapped component. Close the jump ring. Repeat for each bottom and top loop of the three wrapped components.

13. Open a 4.5 mm jump ring, and add an 11 mm pendant. Slide the jump ring through the two bottom jump rings on the center component, and close the jump ring. Use a 4.5 mm jump ring to attach a 9 mm briolette to the bottom loop on each side of the center component.

14. For the remaining two components, work as in step 12 to attach a 9 mm briolette to the two bottom jump rings and a 7 mm briolette to each bottom loop.

15. On each side of the center component, use a 4.5 mm jump ring to attach a 9 mm briolette to the two jump rings on the top loops.

16. On one end of the wrapped components, open a 4.5 mm jump ring, and attach it to the second chain link. Close the jump ring. Use another 4.5 mm jump ring to attach a 9 mm briolette to the two adjacent jump rings. Repeat this step to attach a 9 mm briolette on the other end of the wrapped components.

17. On one end of the wrapped components, open a 4.5 mm jump ring, and attach it to the second chain link. Close the jump ring. Attach another 4.5 mm jump ring to the fourth chain link. Use a third 4.5 mm jump ring to attach a 7 mm briolette to the jump rings just added. Repeat on the other end of the wrapped components.

Complete your look with a set of matching earrings! Instructions and corresponding images can be found on our free PDF.